Evaporative Heat Exchanger Nozzle Layout for Uniform Wetting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional evaporation heat exchange devices for air cooling in conditioning and climate control systems suffer from non-uniform water evaporation along the exchanger, leading to inefficient water usage, increased energy consumption, and the risk of calcareous encrustations due to dry surfaces, which reduces system performance and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The device features a plurality of nozzles arranged side by side that dispense water with decreasing flow-rates from the intake to the outflow region of the air/air heat exchanger, optimizing water distribution based on the thermal gradient to enhance evaporation efficiency and prevent dry surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If uniform water distribution is used along the exchanger, then the exchanger surfaces are adequately wetted, but water is wasted in regions where evaporation is already sufficient and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the water flow rate distribution along the exchanger length. Nozzles are positioned to deliver higher water flow rates at the inlet region where evaporation demand is highest, and progressively lower flow rates toward the outlet where air is already cooled and humidified. This non-uniform distribution matches the local evaporation needs, reducing water waste in regions where less water is required while maintaining effective wetting where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of water flow rate along the exchanger length. By adjusting the flow rate parameter from high at the inlet to low at the outlet, the system optimizes water usage according to the thermal gradient and evaporation potential at different positions, thereby reducing overall water consumption and associated energy costs without compromising cooling performance.
2Reliability
If higher water flow rates are used to ensure adequate wetting, then dry surfaces and calcareous encrustations are prevented, but water wastage increases and system efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures reliable exchanger surface wetting by concentrating higher water flow rates at the inlet region where the thermal gradient is steepest and evaporation demand is highest. This local quality approach prevents dry surfaces and calcareous encrustations at critical locations while reducing water flow rates in regions where adequate wetting is already achieved, thereby preventing encrustations without excessive water wastage.
3Productivity
If water is dispensed uniformly across all exchanger sections, then all regions receive adequate cooling, but the thermal gradient and evaporation efficiency are not optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes cooling efficiency by matching water dispensing quantities to the local thermal conditions at different exchanger positions. Higher water flow rates are applied where the thermal gradient is steepest (inlet region) to maximize evaporation and cooling effect, while lower flow rates are used where the air is already接近 to the desired temperature. This local quality approach maximizes cooling efficiency per unit of water consumed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the water flow rate parameter along the exchanger to optimize the ratio of cooling efficiency to water usage. By adjusting this parameter from high to low in the direction of air flow, the system achieves maximum cooling effect where needed while minimizing water consumption, thereby improving overall productivity and water usage efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces energy consumption, minimizes water wastage, prevents encrustations, and increases system performance by ensuring consistent wetting of the exchanger, thereby improving overall efficiency and flexibility across varying operating conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The process consists of spraying water against the stream of air in order to increase its relative humidity and therefore lower its temperature
Implementation Method 2
Such conditioning units and systems use an indirect/direct evaporation process as their type of cooling
Implementation Method 3
spraying water against the stream of air in order to increase its relative humidity and therefore lower its temperature
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
A heat exchange device (10) for air cooling for conditioning and climate control systems for server rooms and the like, which comprises: - an air/air heat exchanger (11), designed to be passed through by a primary air stream (12) along a first trajectory (X) from an intake region (13) to an outflow region (14) and by a secondary air stream (33) along a second trajectory (Y) from a corresponding intake region (36) to a corresponding outflow region (37), - water dispensing means (15) adapted to wet the heat exchanger (11) downward from above, - means (16) of collecting the water that descends from the heat exchanger (11), - a recirculation pump (17) for returning the air-cooling water from the collection means up to the dispensing means arranged above the heat exchanger (11); the water dispensing means comprise a plurality of nozzles arranged side by side, or rows of nozzles (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23), which are adapted to dispense water with a flow-rate that decreases starting from the intake region (13) for the primary air stream (12) toward the outflow region (14) of the heat exchanger (11).